


Soul for a soul

by PrezKoko



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Manipulation, Unrequited Love, fanfic of fanart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-16
Updated: 2014-02-16
Packaged: 2018-01-12 14:59:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1189476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrezKoko/pseuds/PrezKoko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fanfic of Minuiko and Viria's epic lovechild of a comic, continues on from Minuiko's latest post where Nico suddenly remembers a way he can bring Percy back to life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soul for a soul

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this on a whim (aka random inspired motivation). That comic exchange those two were doing was so epic, I just wanted to write what I think would happen next. 
> 
> Not that we'd know what happens next until Viria finishes her next part and post it. I guess this was an attempt to extend my short patience.

Elysium was supposed to be paradise.

And in a way, Percy could see why it was considered as such. The weather was lovely, the people was lovely, the food was lovely. Honestly, everything was just lovely.

So he wondered why he felt so agitated.

For the first time since he found out he was a demigod, he’d not had monsters chasing after him. There was no prophecy to fulfil, no choices to make. Yet his heart had this sense of yearning. A perpetual longing for something outside of their patch of beautiful grass and lake and mountains.

”Fruit?” a pretty girl in a traditional Greek chiton asked, bearing a plate filled to the brim. It was a wonder she could carry it.

”No thanks,” he said, walking away to the edge of the Elysium, staring out to where the rest of the grey and dark underworld was.

There were quite a few other demigods from camp, they’d all died in the same battle after all, but none of Percy’s friends were there. He supposed he should be glad. But if he was honest, Percy was feeling lonely.

”Oh good, you’re near the edge. This makes it easier.”

Percy nearly jumped out his skin. Standing under the shade of a large willow tree, was one sleep-deprived looking son of Hades.

”Nico! What are you doing here?”

”No time, they’re going to burn your body soon” Nico said, edging down the grassy bank to where a small wooden boat was floating on the river Lethe.

”Wait, what?” Percy said, confused. ”Nico, what are you on about?”

Nico looked irritated, as if Percy asking questions was intolerable. Not for the first time, Percy wondered if Nico had been joking when he confessed he liked him.

When it became obvious that Percy wasn’t going anywhere without an explanation, Nico sighed.

”If you must know, I pulled a favour to get you out of here.”

”A favour.” Percy deadpanned.

”Yes a favour, so stop asking questions and get in the boat. If I don’t get you back to your body before they burn it, you’ll end up trapped as a ghost above ground forever.”

That definitely did not sound good. Although, Percy wasn’t sure if he could really trust Nico. Not because the guy was malicious. More that he had a history of being either manipulated or taking the most extreme option whenever he wanted something.

And if Nico really did love him as he claimed, having Percy alive was probably something he’d want, whatever the cost.

Like that time with Bianca. In order to get her back, he had been willing to kill a man.

Speaking of…

”Don’t you need to offer a soul to get a soul out of the underworld.”

Nico stiffened for a second, but then seemed to force himself to relax.

”Usually, but like I said, I’ve pulled in a favour. So please just get in the boat.” The last sentence was said with an almost pleading tone.

”Well…” Percy hesitated for a second more, before climbing aboard after Nico. ”If you’re sure there’d be no needless sacrifices…”

Nico’s voice was soft. ”I’m sure.”

—

They sailed down the river Lethe mostly in silence, with both of them rowing and being careful not to touch the water least they forget everything.

Monsters mostly paid them no mind and ghosts would leave them alone with a single command from Nico. It was pretty peaceful.

Of course, the moment Percy thought that, a loud screech sounded in the distance. As if someone had misplaced the alarm and was wailing as horridly as possible to compensate.

”What is that?” Percy said, bewildered.

Nico cursed. ”We have to hurry.”

”I thought you pulled in a favour.”

”I did, doesn’t mean my Dad’s going to be particularly happy about it.” Nico steered the boat to the bank. ”Come on. We’ve got to reach the doors before they get here.”

”The doors of death?”

Nico gave him a wry grin. It was so creepy that Percy actually shivered.

”No, one of the other entrances. We just have to reach it, step through and you’ll end up back in your body.”

”It can’t be that easy.” Percy said. ”If it was that easy, everyone would be coming back from the dead.”

Nico scowled. ”I already told you, I pu-”

”You pulled in a favour,” Percy interrupted. He had an uneasy feeling about this. But something told him that Nico wasn’t lying about bringing him back to life. And Percy didn’t quite have it in him to reject that.

He really wanted to see Annabeth again.

”Fine,” he said with a sigh, ”but if I find out you had to risk your life on some stupid quest to get me out. I’m going to beat you up.”

”I didn’t have to fulfil any quests.”

Percy paused. ”I meant what I said, Nico. I saved your life because I wanted to. So don’t waste it.”

Nico looked like he wanted to cry. But he met Percy’s gaze head on, and said in all seriousness. ”I know. I’m not going to waste it.”

They walked uphill in silence for what seemed like hours, until reaching a ragged archway.

”Here it is,” Nico said.

Percy couldn’t help but give the archway a dubious look.

”This is it?”

”Yeah, mortals can’t pass through here, but ghosts can. Give me your hand.”

”Why?”

”For a spell. You won’t be able to pass through otherwise.”

Percy reluctantly held out his hand. Something was screaming in his head that this was wrong, that there was more to this than he realised.

He didn’t have much time to dwell on it however, because Nico had clasped his hand and wound a piece of ribbon around their wrists, chanting in Ancient Greek as he went.

”Alright,” Nico said when he finished chanting. ”You should be able to walk through now.”

Percy looked at the archway, then back at Nico. ”Are you sure it’s that simple?”

”Just walk through,” Nico said.

Percy hesitated for a second more, then stepped through the arch.

Immediately, a high-pitched noise sounded behind him, as if bits of metal were rubbing against each other the wrong way. A dark, castle grate crashed down behind him, sealing the door in a crosshatch of bars.

Percy rushed to it, tried to push it open, but it wouldn’t budge. A wooden gate started to edge downwards as if intending to seal the entrance. Percy gritted his teeth and pushed at the gate harder.

On the other side, Nico didn’t look alll that surprised, or worried.

Percy wondered if perhaps Nico was planning on shadow-travelling out or something. ”Is this supposed to happen?” he asked, gesturing at the door.

Nico nodded. ”You were right earlier,” he said. ”You have to offer a soul to get a soul back from the underworld. So I’ve exchanged mine for yours.”

Percy stared. ”What about that favour-” even as he said it, he realised Nico had been lying. He tried not to get too angry, and pushed at the gate again. It didn’t move an inch.

”You said not to waste my life, Percy.” Nico said. ”So I’m going to do the best thing I can achieve with it. I’ll send you back where you belong.”

”That is not what I meant!” Percy said, pounding his hand on the metal grate that was separating them. ”Nico, don’t do this!”

Nico simply gave him a sad, forlorn smile. The wooden gate slammed shut.


End file.
